Siemens Automotive Corporation

Stephen C Cranford

Michael Joseph Hornby

Dean Leigh Spiers

Robert S Gruendl

A solenoid-operated fuel injector has a housing forming an enclosure which contains a solenoid coil assembly having electrical terminals extending therefrom via which the fuel injector is connected with a connector for selectively energizing the solenoid coil by electric current to operate the fuel injector. A fuel rail delivers pressurized liquid fuel to a fuel inlet which is at one axial end of the injector. Fuel is injected from the enclosure at an axially opposite nozzle outlet end. A valve mechanism is disposed within the enclosure and is operated by the solenoid coil acting through a spring-biased armature to open and close a flow path through the enclosure. The coil orientation allows the injector electrical terminal to be lowered, so the terminals exit from the bottom of the coil.

Inverted coil

An electrical connector for connecting electric wiring to a mating connector of a fuel-rail-mounted electric-operated fuel injector. The connector and the fuel rail have integral formations that serve to assure circumferential orientation of the injector in a socket of the fuel rail and to axially capture the injector in the socket. A snap-catch mechanism releasably locks the connector to the injector and is provided by further integral formations on the wiring connector and the injector connector. In this way, extra attaching parts are not required. The fuel rail assembly has a lower profile which is advantageous from the standpoint of engine compartment packaging in an automotive vehicle.

Multiple function electrical connector for connecting to a

The sphere is a separate part that is assembled into the valve during the assembly process. A resilient spring disc acts on the sphere to hold the sphere in abutment with the tip end of the armature as the armature reciprocates to open and close the valve. The disc is also a separate part that is assembled into the valve during the assembly process. The outer margin of the disc rests on a raised ledge without attachment to the valve body while the sphere occupies a central circular void in the disc whose diameter is less than that of the sphere. The valve seat is frustoconical, and the disc maintains the sphere at least approximately concentric with the seat so that when the valve is operated closed any misalignment of the sphere to the seat is taken out by the camming action of the seat on the sphere as the valve closes.

Fuel injector valve having a sphere for the valve element

The cup into which the injector inlet is inserted has a radial key on its lip which requires that the retention clip have a proper circumferential orientation for registration with the key in order to permit the full assembly of the injector to the cup to be achieved when the injector, with the clip attached thereto, is inserted into the cup. The key is formed during the cup fabrication process out of metal that would otherwise be a part of the offal stock that is trimmed from the perimeter of the blank after the blank has been drawn to form the cup.

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Newport News, VA, United States of America

Stephen C Cranford